Permutation illuminated sign



May29,

' Filed Manch 5. l1922 m fw Patented May 29, 1923.v

UN I'IED"A ST ATES LoUIs A. GRAHAM, or cHICAGd' ILLINOIS.` f

PERMUTATION ILLUMINATED SIGN.

Application -led March 3,1922. Serial lo. 540,228.

forl when #met concern:

B e it known that 1, Louis A. GRAHAM, a

eitizen of the United States, residingat the path of light from -a source. It has vbeen.

proposed ,to puncturesueh a Wall on lines corresponding to characters to beexpressed, and it has .even been suggested to provide a metallicI wall with weakened .spots arranged various lines so that the openings could be selectively formed in the wall for thepur# nos@ Stated n Now, the primaryobjeotiof the present in- Lventioniis to provide a Wall interposedinto a path of light `which can ,notonly b e lutilized for selectively .developing light emitting apertures .in lines cerresponflne t0 Chart-C- tersor devices to be expressed, .butlone which prorides for -perrnutatlnn use. in ,the :sense othnt nentinnity OfopnqlineSStn be restored at will and new,designs or 4 out-lines of light ,emitting spotsselectively developed as freque ntly as desired; and, accordingly, ,an-.un-

derlying feature ofthe linvention,consists in constructing the lightcontrolling wallwith .arealof closely related lighty releasing per# fnrntilnnsi..symmetrically distributed inthe loci of lines constituent of vvarious characters or devices to be expressed,and equip-` ,ping `these perfOrations With light obstructing..e1os1.re.$, replacenbly ns Well as remorably' adapted individually to lsaid tLpertu-res,

so that after the lightl controlling` Wall .has heen-manipulated to ldevelopl a signjcolb. .45 pose/d -of vvoids,devices',vor other matter of Iexpressionand usedifor the desired length of time, Iitcan be restoredto its original' complete opaqueness by themereact of restoring displaced .closures to the. previously selected 59 apertures, and gan entirely new. sign'canlbe developed by the selection and open-ingup of the apertures existingiin a difieren-t' set of lines'.` 'v

Another object is to :provide .a construttlon of, closureplug that can lie-,made cheaply Y Wallsof theapertures as to light toward l.the field;

vand withgreat accuracy and-thatfoan i tloduced into aperturesvvithease and dis-'f placed therefrom when -rdesred by ,Centinlledmoveinent ,in Athe same directio1i{but l and expulsion. 'will accurately retain notwithstanding Such` ease, of ntroducten .Planevn the aperture ,and Will ,autQmatCill enter into .such `intimate Contact .wi th .the

thoroughly arrest the light. y Accordingly, vvanother feature of the inventfnl .Consists in Producing Closure Plugs longitudinally .split for a portion ofthelr f length-.t0 .render them radially resilient, and

preferably .hollow so that v they vwill receive and Iconfine the instrument used for displacing them. These yplugs `are preferably formed by striking ,up .sheetl metal Ablanks of proper idesign. Q

Another object of theinvention'istogoro-- ride n suitable .housingserv-.ns the @9111- bined purpose of mounting 1a light v source "di and Controlling.thadstrbntion et light formly t0 the eren .0f the light Screening wall;v also preferablyY adapting the housing.

.t0 tatoh and `collentplugs .displaced in epenf ine' up apertures in composing .a sign, and holding .these ,displaced plugs within .Qonvenient reach .for @use in reStOri-ngitllsm-to `,the perforetons; and, .'acenrdingly,other ing-n netting IWtll n ,Source 0f flieht but.

shaving the light ,tenceelefl from dirent radin.

tien tnwtrfl the r,ftlcl- .Ot perforation; and

delivered thereto" vvonly by reflection `under bfrllnnny of light-@Spots Produced vin dit VA:ferent -pnrtens of ,the fields 'this .effect- Ibet L.Yfeatures nf'the invention consist .in ,provitline-produced' preferebltfby loGetinte IAtht Source. .of illuminati@ in; eeponket beyond the .field ofv,perforations, as, v for instanogin shaving :theflight rays.' delivered from' said. ,pocket 0r .dome ,into l the space fbeh-nrl .the perforated lel'dand egnnstfsnnaces',.torinstence, enameled@ AOther-wise whitenerl n-y ter-i01- Wallsof the housing, which reflectfthey '05 Still another feature'in ,the ,construction 'Ofvij the housing .consists inV adapting ,the latter i toiconne in lower portion plugsv that @re-'displaced from thea-fieldof. perforationsf,

vce

' velopedby transmitted light.

plug; Figure 5 being an end view of the plug; and Figure 6 showing a blank from which the plug may be made.

According to Figures l to 3, l represents av housing containing a light source 2, and 3' represents a wall introducedvinto the path of light from said source, and having an area of closely related light-releasing perforations symmetrically distributed in the lociof lines constituent of various characters or devices to be expressed, and adapted to contain light obstructing 'plugs e that constitute closures for saidl perforations that are not only readily displaceable to develop light emitting openings da, but are conveniently replaceable in the perforations in a manner to restore continuity of opacpie-y ness of the lightV controlling Wall, so that said'wall is adapted to develop any desired character or device at will and repeatedly; or, in other Words, so that the Wall, when related to a suitable source of light, becomes a' permutation illuminated 'ig `dellilreferably, the bottom of the housing l. serves as a pocket 5 to receive and confine displaced plugs 4 from the Wall 3; the meeting surfaces of the plugs and perforations being so fitted together preferably by making the plugs radially resilient, thatthe plugs can be displaced selec-tively by the use of a suitable instrument when 'the Wallv isfin its light controlling position; and the Wall is preferably `mounted for movement, as, for

instance, through the medium of hinge 6 (Fig. l) to permit convenient recovery from vreceptacle 5 of displaced plugs that are to be restored to the perforations.

There is preferably provided in front of the light controlling Wall 3 a light modifying Wall l'v of glass or other translucent Inaterial having a` character appropriate to the modification of light to be effected," for instance, a vcolored glass or one having a prismatic. or other irregular surface or surfaces to develop light refracting or diiusing veifectsso as to'mergethe-spot-like beams emitted lthrough the perforations. and this ight modifying Wall is preferably carried 4in Aa'-fraine 8 Which is rendered removable from in front of the light controlling Wall 3, as, for instance, by hingingit at 9.

rl"he housing l, carrying Vthe perforated Wall 3, is preferably provided'with a dome l() to receive the light source 2, andthe latter comprises two lamps presented'in- Yvvardly from the ends of the dome in position to be screened from direct radiation of light toward the perforations el?, and the inner Walls ll, 12, andl?)y of the housing l are made into diffusing reflectors, as, for instance, by covering them with White enamel or other White surfacing material.

As shown in TFigures d, 5 and i), the plug is of such a .nature that it can be both inserted from rthe front and displaced from the front, and When inserted can be pressed until it is flush with the outer surface of the plate, thereby avoiding projections ou the front of the plate and affording the-im` portant advantr-ge of permitting the letters or characters to be sketched upon the 'surface ofthe plate, for instance, With chalk or crayon as a Ypreliininary to pushing out the light holes to dei'ine the same, and permitting the sign-to be arranged, composed, spaced, etc., by sketching it upon the plate asmany times Acis-'may be necessary to outline it in 'szdtisfactoryv form before under-I taking vthe labor of displacing the plugs. The surface of theplate Will preferably be of a nature that will take the crayon'or chalk and permit it to be readily rubbed olf when desired.

l plug that can be passed entirely through the plate by inserting it from vthe front and displacing it by pushing it the rest of the way through, lmay be provided in the form of small cylinders of Wood, fiber, metal, or other material fitting snugly enough to make a friction hold, but it is preferred toy produce a' plug by shaping up sheet metal fromfa suitable blank, such,

'for instance, as that shown at ll in Figure Gato produce the plug e (Figures 4: and '5) with longitudinally slitted .side Walls that render the plug` radially resilient, and

light arresting plugs insertable in said per-` forations at Will, the transverse dimension of the plugs throughout their length being not greater tha1i-that of the perforation's, 'whereby the plugs are Vrendereddisplaceable therefrom byacontinued movement'v in thedirection of insertion. f 2. A permutation' illuminated sign' comprising a light controlling Wall havingan areal of yperfoiations` symmetrically" disposed therein in the loci oflines constituent"` tions by a movement from the outsidevto Ward the inside and displaceable therefrom by continued movement toward the inside; and said housing providing a receptacle to confine plugs displaced-from said perforations. y

4. In an illuminated sign, a light controlling Wall having an area of closely related light releasing perforations distributed thereover, and light obstructing closures removably and replaceably adapted to'said perforations; said closures retaining their positions in said per'orations by litting therein when in place and being of no greater transverse dimension than said perorations' at any portion ofV their length so that they are adapted to be passed entirely through the perforations when displaced therefrom. l 1

5. In an illuminated sign,v alight controlling Wall having an area of closely related light releasing perforations distributed thereover, and light obstructing closures're i movablyv and replaceably adapted to said perforations; said closures retaining their positions in said perforations' by. fitting A therein when in place vand being of no greater transverse dimension than said perorations at any portion `of their length lso thatjthey are adapted" to bel passed en. tirelyV -through theV perforations when displaced therefrom; the ends of the closures being flush with the surface of the Wall When the closures are in place therein.'

6. In an illuminated sign, a' lightcontrolling Wall having an area of closely 'related perforations and closures for said. perforations, comprising diametrically yresilient plugs adapted to t: perforations and to` be passed entirely through the same.

7. In an illuminated sign', a light controlling Wall constructedvvith an area of closely V' related perforations and closures for said perforations, comprising hollow metallic plugs havingv longitudinally slit Walls.4`

8. In an illuminated sign, a lightcontrolling plate constructed With light emitting perforations and closures for said perforal. tions, consisting of plugs adapted ytoffit the perforations and retain their positions therein; said plugs being hollovv and lbeing adapted to receive and confine the displacing instrument While they are being displaced from the Wall.`

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 21st day of February, 1922.

LoUis A'. GRAHAM. 

